Dreaming of You
by tlee04
Summary: This is the alternate ending I thought would be better.
1. Chapter 1

Letting Go

"I can't stop thinking about that night; every time I close my eyes I see her face." Wiping her sweat, she swings her feet over the side of her bed. Dangling her feet over the ledge of her bed, she can already feel the cold air touching her feet. Before she fully places her feet on the surface, she grabs a towel and wipes her forehead once again. Getting up she places her hand on her head, tightly closing her eyes and stumbling to the door she sees Prim's face. "Prim!" she yells, reaching for what is in front of her. She felt nothing but air; slowly she drops to her knees. "Why! Why does it have to be her? Why couldn't it have been me?" Tears were rushing down her face. Her eyes were like a broken faucet that kept leaking even after she tightly closed them and wiped them. Her knees were turning purple from the cold floor, but she refused to move. Weak and helpless she laid there waiting until the sun rose. "Katniss! Katniss!" She looked up at the door as the voice was coming closer. As the door slowly opened she saw a head popping through. Her eyes were barely opened and her vision was blurry. The sun was shining bright behind the figure and all she saw was the black figure standing there. "Katniss! What happened?"

As soon as the voice pierced her ears she knew who it was. Her lips were purple and shivering as she tried to talk, "Gale." She felt the warmth of his arms wrapped around her body. "Shhh, don't say anything." She laid her head on his chest, "What are you doing here?" Gale gently laid her back on the bed, wrapping her in the colorful quilt her mother kinted, "You need to take care of yourself." She pushed him away, "What do you care! You took away what was most important to me!" Her nostrils flare and she clenched her fist. Her wide opened eyes closed into tiny slits and her eyebrows were creased. Losing her temper, she pulled her fist back and fully extended her arm making contact with Gale's face. Her knuckles were red and the physical contact with Gale's face sent shock waves through her arm. "Ah," she screamed shaking her hand up and down trying to get rid of the numbness in her arm. Gale sat quietly looking at the ground as if he didn't feel any pain. Katniss looked up and saw the imprint she had left on Gale's face. "Well don't just sit there say something!" she clenched her fist once more. "I'm sorry Katniss, I didn't know she'll be there, I thought-" "Enough!" screamed Katniss and looked the other way. She placed her elbows on her knees and leaned her forehead on her hands. Katniss bit her lip trying to fight back the tears. "I can't get her back" she whispered softly.

Placing his warm hands underneath her chin, he slowly guided her face up looking at his face with very few dirt streaks across his cheek. She can tell he has been working at the factory before heading over to see her. "She was like a sister to me; do you believe that I really wanted to hurt her?" He looked straight into her eyes. Katniss didn't reply, "Katniss" "Gale, can you imagine losing someone so special so dear to you? Can you!" her eyes widen and her eyebrows slowly lifted up. Keeping his eyes on the floor he looked up, "I've lost you, I've lost the person I once loved my entire life." His voice was weak and quiet. She stared at him with her mouth open and the wrinkles in her forehead were slowly disappearing. She saw the tears building in his eyes. "Maybe I was wrong, to really believe that you didn't love Peeta but to think that you'll come back to me. To think that you think about me every night before you slept and that maybe you shared the same feelings I have for you with me. Maybe I was still the one you came to when you were in trouble." The tears streamed down his face. Trembling for words he continued, "But I can see it in your eyes now, what we once had doesn't exist anymore. Those memories are long gone." His hands slowly slipped from her chin and gently fell onto his lap. She felt his rough finger tips run across the bottom of her chin. Lost for words Katniss grabbed his hands, "Gale-" "It is okay Katniss, you don't have to say anything." He smiled at her and looked at the ground. Freeing his hands from her strong grip and slowly stood up. Walking towards the same way he enter he stopped. Barely turning his head with just the side of his face in sight he pulled open the door, "I'm sorry Katniss. You don't have to forgive me, but promise me you'll recover soon. Don't hide yourself too long, people will start to worry."

Katniss watch him exit without a simple good-bye. Tears fell down her cheeks and as they hit the floor she felt the pulse of her heart beat in sync with her tears. "I couldn't have told him," she thought to herself. "It is better if he didn't know." She reached for her pillow and squeezed it as hard as she could. Falling back onto her bed she laid quietly. Still holding the pillow between her chest and her arms she fell into a deep sleep.

"Katniss! Katniss! Help Me!" Looking around fiercely Katniss saw nothing but the woods surrounding her burning. Her eyes were getting watery due to the smoke caused by the red flames around her. The smoke soon built up blocking her path and her eyes were ready to give up. She closed her eyes and let her bow guide her through the woods. Katniss continued the direction of the voice. Approaching the voice she could hear she was getting closer. She opened her eyes for a quick peek and saw a little girl sitting on the floor. Running towards her Katniss tripped over a branch lying in her path way. She felt the pain from her knee and the throbbing from her palms. "Help me! Katniss!" With the terror hitting her ears she fought the pain and slowly rose to her feet. As she got closer to the girl she began to fade. Katniss was screaming her name but nothing was coming out of her mouth. Not a single sound came out as she opened her mouth. She reached out her hand but it was too late. In a split second she watched the bomb above the little girl go off. She watched as the girl exploded into pieces and nothing remained. Her heart was racing and she fell to her knees. She covered her eyes as tears were falling down. "Why Katniss, why didn't you save me, instead you watched me suffer." Removing her hands from her eyes she saw Prim's head lying in front of her. Her eyes were cut out and blooding was running down her cheeks from her nonexistence eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

"AHHHH"

"Katniss, what's wrong?" Peeta tried grasping her.

Katniss felt his hands on her triceps. Not knowing what it was she started kicking her legs and brushing off whatever was touching her.

"Katniss! It's me, Peeta."

Coming to her senses Katniss looked up and saw Peeta standing beside her bed. The pillow she held onto so dearly fell beside Peeta's foot as she pushed herself up to wrap her arms around his neck.

"I saw Prim. She had no eyes Peeta, she called for my help but I can't save her. I kept tripping over everything. I tried to reach out for her but-"

"Slow down Katniss," he patted her on the back. Her breath brushed against his ear and her tense body was completely leaning onto his for support. "It was only a dream, everything is okay now."

Katniss pulled him closer as the tears dripped down her cheeks. Without even realizing it, Peeta felt his shirt absorbing something wet. It was cold against his skin. Looking down at Katniss, he held her tighter. She felt his arms tightly around her waist. She placed her hands onto of his, "Sorry Peeta. I'm sorry for putting you through this with me. I just can't seem to let her go."

"Its fine Katniss, I'm always here for you no matter what."

She smiled up at him and got herself loose from his grip, "When did you get here?"

"After Gale told me what happened."

The smile on her face faded, "Gale huh. Well let me get myself cleaned up and we can go out and look for something to eat."

Katniss walked to the bathroom and washed her face. She looked herself in the mirror, "I love Peeta, not Gale." Splashing her face a couple of more times with water, she looked in to mirror once more. She pulled her black t-shirt down and stared at the scar on her chest just above her breast. She ran her fingertip across the soft surface that was formed.

"That happened while you were out hunting with Gale right?"

Startled, she quickly lets go of her shirt and looks back at him. She smile and nodded. She turned back around and dried her face with the wash cloth. Combing her smooth long black hair she was thinking about the night she got the scar.

She remembered her falling down and something was on top of her. It was big and heavy. With very little strength left, Katniss tried to push the animal off but that wasn't enough to get it off. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain across her chest. She felt the giant's claw through her skin tearing it apart. The pain was rushing through to her head and she was slowly losing conscious. Her eyes were shutting down without her permission.

"Katniss, are you ready?" Peeta's hand was on her shoulder.

Waken from her day dream she answered, "Yeah I'm ready." She tied the bottom of her long braided hair. Peeta grabbed a hold of Katniss cold hand, "Let's go."

As they walked out the front door, Katniss felt the blistering cold smacking her pale face. Observing her surroundings, she saw no one in sight. Breathing in and out, she saw her breath in the cold air. They continued to walk down the street into town where the merchants were.

Reaching town in just fifth-teen minutes; both looked around for something to purchase. Over hearing a conversation, Katniss's heart dropped. "Peeta," her voice was shaking, "Did you hear about Gale leaving?"

Without making eye contact with Katniss, Peeta stared straight at the ground. His breathing was getting heavy and his voice was rattling, "Gale- told me before I came to your house that he was leaving but he didn't tell me where. He just told me not to tell you."

Her heart started racing and Katniss felt her body warming up from the frustration. "Why is he leaving?" she thought to herself. "Is it because of me? Did I drive him away?" She didn't say a word back to Peeta and started down the path again.

Katniss walked into people without realizing that she was bumping them. "Watch where you are going!" someone yelled back at Katniss. With no emotions Katniss continued on her way. Peeta saw the miserable look on her face and asked, "Are you feeling okay? Why are you running into other people?" But Katniss was silent.

"Peeta, do you love me as much as you say you do? Or is this still a game?"

Looking confused Peeta answered, "Katniss, you know I do. Why would you say that? I told you I will always be here for you and my feelings are true. Before you even told me that you loved me too."

"But Peeta, I can't tell if your feelings are true. You are hiding things from me." Her breathing was starting to slow down, "I don't know if I really love you as much as I say I do. After hearing that Gale was leaving tonight my, my heart started racing uncontrollably." Peeta stood there speechless.

"You're not the one I dream of at night, I don't think about what our future is going to be like. I don't see you in my dreams. I wanted to believe it was you. I'm sorry Peeta, I thought you were the one for me but I was wrong. I have to go now. Or else-" "Just go Katniss."

At that moment Katniss turned and ran the opposite direction. Peeta watched helplessly at his love one who just escaped from his side. Peeta covers his mouth trying not to make a sound as he cries. He drops to his knees as he feels the inside of his body being torn apart. The gravel on the floor was piercing through his blue jeans. His knees felt the pain but he didn't move; he pressed more pressure onto his knees with his palms trying to numb the pain. There were more than 20 pairs of eyes on him as he sat there weakly. Peeta watched until Katniss was out of his sight. He looked up at the sky and saw the sun trying to peer through the dark clouds. He slowly got up and walked back towards the path he came from.

Katniss was running as fast as her legs allowed her to move. Her face was numb from the cold wind but that didn't stop her. At the top of the hill she saw Gale waiting patiently at the bottom.

"Gale! Gale!" Katniss yelled from the top of her lungs. "Turn around Gale, turn around." Her legs were getting weak and her toes were getting numb. She can feel her legs getting ready to give up. "Just a little longer." She finally reached the bottom of the hill.

"Gale!"

He turned around and saw Katniss running towards him. Squinting his eyes he looked harder, "Katniss."

He dropped his bag and ran towards her, "Katniss! What are you doing here? It's so cold out here. You need to keep yourself warm"

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"

Gale looked the opposite way, "I didn't want to hurt you anymore. I-"

Katniss grabbed behind his head and pulled him in for a kiss. "Please don't leave Gale, I need you. How am I supposed survive with you. Every night I dream about you being by my side. I didn't want to admit that I was in love you. I have been living a lie. I don't want anyone but you Gale."

Gale smiled showing all his teeth. "I love you Katniss."


End file.
